Semi-automatic horizontal container coupler



July 19, 1966 A. ABOLINS 3,261,070

SEMI-AUTOMATIC HORIZONTAL CONTAINER COUPLER Filed Sept. 15, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 AND/PE W 4501/40 ilw ww I Q 0 3 IN VENTOR. 0 \0 R July 19, 1966 A. ABOLINS 3,

SEMI-AUTOMATIC HORIZONTAL CONTAINER COUPLER Filed Sept. 15, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 62 #5 76 INVENTOR. 62 .552 ag 4/Vp/[ W ABUZ/A S F .12. BY

A Tram 20".

July 19, 1966 A. ABOLINS SEMI-AUTOMATIC HORIZONTAL CONTAINER COUPLER 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 15, 1964 INVENTOR. A/Vfi/QFW 4501016 M July 19, 1966 A. ABOLINS 3,261,070

SEMI-AUTOMATIC HORIZONTAL CONTAINER COUPLER Filed Sept. 15, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. J7 9 A/i/flfi' 14/ 14501 MMW July 19, 1966 A. ABOLINS 3,261,070

SEMI-AUTOMATIC HORIZONTAL CONTAINER COUPLER Filed Sept. 15, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 l I O 98 /02 96 rfa 0 I N V EN T OR. Eylf. A/Vfi/QW A500;

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United States Patent 3,261,070 SEMI-AUTOMATIC HORIZONTAL CONTAINER COUPLER Andrew Abolins, 431 Crescent Ave., Penndel, Pa. Filed Sept. 15, 1964, Ser. No. 396,669 15 Claims. (o1. 24-221 movement of one container relative to the other, but which improves the function and reduces the cost thereof by simplification of the components.

An important object of the invention is to provide a horizontal container coupler having a rotatable rod with spaced heads thereon and a mechanism operable by a handle carried by the rod whereby in an up position the heads are aligned ready for insertion into sockets of containers to be coupled, and when one of the heads is inserted in the first container socket and the handle is dropped it automatically reaches a stop position wherein the inserted head only partially traverses the socket so that the coupler is held firmly in a horizontal cocked position in the first container. Thereafter when the second container is moved relative to the first so that its socket receives the other head, further movement of the second container will cause the mechanism to trigger and the handle to fall down to a position wherein both heads have fully traversed their sockets to effect coupling.

Another object of the invention is to provide a coupler of the character above described in which the containers are provided with tapered throats around the sockets and the coupler includes cam rings with tapered ends which are caused to firmly engage the tapered throats when the coupler is triggered so that the heads are in the fully coupled position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a horizontal container coupler of the character described in which no separate coupler wrench is required to rotate the coupler but rather a handle which is mounted on the coupler, which can be selectively extended and retracted to operative and inoperative positions and which, in combination with a torsion spring, accomplishes the triggering of the coupler to an intermediate cocked position and finally to the fully coupled position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a horizontal container coupler which is greatly simplified because it employs cams which are identical and require very few machined surfaces and whose coupling action is improved since cam disorientation is not possible. Thus the coupling operation is not subject to the operators error and the final coupling is tighter and safer.

These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent as the following description proceeds in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a group perspective view of the coupler;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the coupler installed in a corner casting of a container ready for coupling to another container;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary end elevational View showing the position of the cams when the coupler has been turned to the position for insertion into a corner casting socket;

FIG. 4 is an end view of the installed coupler shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal section, parts in elevation, through the installed coupler shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing the position of the cams in engagement during the coupling action;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 4 showing the position of the coupler turned to a position for insertion into the lower casting socket;

FIG. 8 is a longiutdinal section, parts in elevation, of the installed coupler shown entering the corner casting socket of another container;

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing the position of the cams when the coupler has been rotated to its fully locked position;

FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 4 showing the position of one head of the coupler and of the handle in the fully locked posit-ion;

FIG. 11 is a longitudinal sectional view, parts in elevation, showing the fully locked position;

FIG. 12 is a sectional view taken on the line 1212 of FIG. 10;

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary sectional view through an elastic spring used in the coupler shown in relaxed position;

FIG. 14 is a view similar to FIG. 13 showing the elastic spring in its compressed position;

FIG. 15 is a view similar to FIG. 10 showing the handle in its inoperative retracted position;

FIG. 16 is a sectional view taken on the line 16-16 of FIG. 12; and

FIG. 17 is an enlarged detail, partially in section, showing the manner in which the outer end of the handle is locked in its retracted position.

Specific reference is now made to drawings in which similar reference characters are used for corresponding elements throughout.

The present horizontal couplers 10 are made to couple the corners of containers, such as trailer bodies 12, the couplers being capable of transmitting tension, compression and shear forces in such magnitudes that the connected containers can be supported, lifted and transported by auxiliary devices which do not contribute to the longitudinal beam strength of the connected containers. As shown more particularly in FIGS. 2, 4, 5, 7, 8 and 15, the corner of each container includes a member which includes a tapered or outwardly flaring throat 14 opening through a vertical container wall 16 which communicates with an elongated opening or slot 18 that in turn com municates with a further generally rounded recess or cavity 20 which terminates in a reduced socket 22.

The coupler includes a rod 24 one end of which is formed with a head 25 having a tapered or nose portion 26 leading to another portion 28 which approximates but is somewhat smaller in size and contour than the container corner slot 18. Thus its length exceeds the width of the slot or opening 18. The other end of the rod is formed with another head 30 which is of the same size and contour as the first head 25 except that its nose has an extension terminating in a reduced portion 32 which is adapted to enter the reduced socket 22. It will be seen that spaced heads 25 and 30 are in phase and include opposed inner flat faces 34 and 36 respectively. Centrally of the rod between the heads is an enlarged substantially cylindrical member 38 having a flat shoulder 40 substantially perpendicular to the rod axis and facing the first head 25 and a tapered shoulder 42 at its other end facing the second head 30. A diametrical through bore 44 is provided in the member 38.

A pair of half-sleeve members 46 and 48 are provided having interengaging dowels 50 and recesses 52 to hold them together in assembly to embrace the rod 24 and enlarged member 38 between the heads. It will be seen that the sleeves have semi-cylindrical reduced bores 54 which cooperate to form a bore approximating and embracing the rod 24, and the sleeves also contain enlarged semi-cylindrical cavities 56 which cooperate to form a cavity which embraces the enlarged member 38 on the rod. The ends of the sleeves are walls or surfaces 58 and 60 which are substantially perpendicular to the axis of the sleeves and are identical in contour to faces 34 and 36. Adjacent these ends externally of the sleeves are semi-conical surfaces 62 terminating in inner edges 64. Extending through each sleeve is a circumferentially extending slot of general bayonet shape having an enlarged arcuate upper portion 66 terminating in an upper end 67 and a narrower lower portion 68 terminating in a lower end 69, there being an inwardly extending shoulder 70 between said slot portions. Between the reduced bore 54 and the enlarged cavity 56 each sleeve has an inwardly extending semi-cylindrical shoulder 72.

A pair of complementary cam rings 74 and 76 are provided and since they are identical the description of one will suffice for the other. The internal diameter of the ring exceeds that of the assembled sleeve members 46 and 48. The outer surface 78 is cylindrical and contains diametrically opposed holes 80. The outer edge of the ring includes a bevel 82 leading to a conical surface 84 and a square shoulder 86. The inner edge contains the cam surface which is helical and consists of a pair of axially extending shoulders 88 which are 180 apart and semi-circular cam surfaces 90 and 92 between them.

A compression spring 94, see FIGS. 13 and 14, is provided which consists of semi-cylindrical halves for ease of lateral or radial assembly in the coupler. It will be understood that while a particular elastic spring construction will now be described, equivalent springs may also be used. Each half is identical with the other; hence a description of one will sufiice. It consists of outer and inner semi-cylindrical metal shells 96 and 98 with end flanges 100 and a rubber block 102 bonded between the inner surfaces of the shells.

In assembly, the spring halves are positioned around the rod 24 between the shoulder 40 and the first head 25, then the sleeve members 46 and 48 are positioned over the rod 24, member 38 and spring member 94. Thus the sleeve members confine the spring which bears on the inner shoulder 72 of the sleeve members and on the fiat shoulder 40 of the member 38 of the rod 24 and urges the first head 25 towards the end face 60 of the sleeve members. The cam ring 74 is slipped over the first head 25 and the ends of the sleeve members until the edge of the bevel 82 coincides with the rear edge 64 of the semiconical portion 62 of the sleeve members, as seen in FIGS. 5, 8, 11 and 15. The cam 74 is keyed to the sleeve members 46 and 48 by means of a flush-type screw 104 which is made to extend through the counter bore 80 and a threaded bore 106 in the sleeve member 46.

The second cam ring 76 is then slipped over the second head 30, over the ends of the sleeve members 46 and 48, over the slots 66 and 68 and up to the first cam ring 74. The rod 24 is then pushed slightly to compress the spring 94 until the diametrically extending bore 44 in member 38 aligns with the diametrically opposed bores 80 in the cam ring 76 and with the slots 66 and 68 in the sleeve members, at which point an elongated tubular or rod-like handle 108 is slipped through the aligned holes thus securing together the second cam ring 76 and the rod 24 which can rotate as a unit relative to the sleeve members about 90, the length of travel of the handle in the slots 66 and 70. The ends of the handle 108 are provided with flanges 110, one of which is attached after the assembly as described hereinabove, the flanges serving to prevent complete removal of the handle.

A torsion spring 112 is hooked at one of its ends over the trunnion 114 of a screw 116 which extends through the other hole 80 of the fixed cam ring 74. The spring is wound about the outer cylindrical surfaces 78 of both cam rings 74 and 76. A latch 118 is provided having an inner arcuate surface 120 bearing on the handle 108, a rear surface 122 adapted to bear against the outer surface of cam 74, an external groove 124 and a groove 126 in the inner surface 120, the latch being upwardly curved at its forward end as at 128. The other end 130 of the torsion spring 112 is hooked over the latch 118 in the outer groove 124. Secured to the outer surface 78 of the cam ring 74 at a predetermined location is a stepped lug 132 whose free end 134 is spaced from the surface 78 a distance exceeding the thickness of the inner flange 110 on the handle 108, as seen in FIG. 16 for a purpose soon to appear.

In use, the spring 94 urges the cam rings 74 and 76 apart axially and this is aided by the compressing action of the torsion spring 112. The torsion spring also acts on the latch 118 and hence on the handle 108 urging it downwardly from the upper enlarged slot 66 to the lower slot 68, but in view of the shoulder 70 between the slots, the handle will normally stop at this shoulder thereby rotating the heads 25 and 30 about 30 instead of the full for final coupling. Thus when the handle is pushed upwardly against action of the torsion spring into the upper slot 66, the cam surfaces 90 and 92 are separated, as seen in FIG. 3, and the first head 25 is aligned with and ready for insertion through the elongated slot 18 and into the recess 20 in the corner casting, as seen in FIG. 7. Release of the handle will cause it to drop and engage the shoulder 70 thereby turning the heads 25 and 30 about 30 to the position shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. This allows the coupler to be supported horizontally in the corner casting in the ready to couple position.

Then the second container is moved towards the first with the coupler retained therein. The slot 18 of the second container corner member first acts on the tapered nose of the exposed head 25 to realign it and as it passes through the slot 18 the wall or end of the casting 16 strikes the shoulder 84 of the cam ring 74. In this action the tapered throat 14 of the container corner member may also act on the semi-conical surface 62 of the assembled sleeve members 46 and 48. Thus the cam ring 74 is moved towards the cam ring 76 and the cam surfaces 90 and 92 engage as seen in FIG. 6. Since the cam ring 74 is keyed to the sleeve member, the latter also moves axially relative to the rod 24 compressing spring 94. In so doing the shoulder 70 moves out of engagement with the handle 108 and the latter drops sharply to the bottom of the lower slot 68, as seen in FIG. 9, thereby rotating the heads 25 and 30 in a 90 arc, as seen in FIG. 10, to fully traverse the slots 18 in the corner members and effect coupling. While the handle is dropping to its lowermost position, the cam rings 74 and 76 are moving apart and the tapered surfaces 84 and shoulder 86 of the cams bear against the tapered throats and walls 14 and 16 of the corner members urging them apart and thereby tightening the coupling action. By raising the lip 128 of the handle latch 118, as seen in FIG. 17, the handle can be pushed in or retracted until its outer flange is retained in the inner groove 126 of the latch. Previously the inner flange 110 of the handle 108 could rotate relative to cam ring 74 and pass under its lip 134 of the lug 132. However, in the retracted position of the handle, as seen in FIG. 15, the handle is obstructed and therefore restrained by the lug 132 against reverse or upward rotation towards the uncoupled position.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has here been shown and described, a skilled artisan may make minor variations without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A device for coupling two members horizontally comprising a vertical wall in each member having an elongated opening therethrough, a rod having spaced enlarged heads adapted to extend through said openings when aligned therewith in the about to couple position,

each head having a length shorter than said opening but greater than the width thereof and adapted to extend partially across said opening in the cocked position and fully across said opening in the coupled position, an elongated sleeve mounted for axial movement on said rod between said heads, said rod being rotatable relative to said sleeve, resilient means urging said sleeve towards one of said heads, a circumferentially extending slot in said sleeve closed at its upper and lower ends, a handle extending through said slot, means keying said handle to said rod, and a shoulder in said slot intermediate its ends dividing said slot into upper and lower portions, said heads being in the about to couple position when said rod is adjacent said upper end of said slot and is in the cocked position when said rod is retained by said shoulder in said upper portion of said slot, said handle clearing said shoulder and dropping into said lower portion of said slot and adjacent said lower end thereof in response to a force applied axially to the end of said sleeve opposite said one head against action of said resilient means whereby said heads are rotated to the coupled position.

2. The combination of claim 1 and further resilient means urging said handle downwardly towards said lower end of said slot.

3. The combination of claim 1, cam rings, one fixed on said sleeve and the other rotatably mounted on said sleeve and connected to said rod via said handle, said cam rings including opposed helical cam surfaces, and further resilient means normally urging said cam surfaces apart, said surfaces being apart when said heads are in the ready to couple and cocked positions, said cam surfaces being in contact when said heads are in the coupled position and thereby urge the ends of said cam rings against said vertical walls.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said further resilient means also acts upon said handle to normally urge the same downwardly towards said lower end of said slot.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said means keying said handle to said rod includes a bore extending diametrically through said rod and receiving a portion of said handle.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said handle extends slidably through said bore for movement to an extended operative position and a retracted inoperative position and means to selectively releasably retain said handle in said extended and retracted positions.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said means to selectively retain said handle in said extended and retracted positions included a spring-urged latch bearing on said handle, a flange at one end of said handle and a groove in said latch adapted to receive said flange when said handle is pushed through said bore into the retracted position.

8. The combination of claim 6 and means to prevent reverse or upward rotation of said handle to thereby rotate said heads into the uncoupled position when said handle is in the retracted position.

9. A device for coupling two members horizontally comprising a vertical wall in each member having an elongated opening therethrough and a tapered throat in front of said opening, a rod having spaced enlarged heads adapted to extend through said opening when aligned therewith in the about to couple position, each head having a length shorter than said opening but greater than the width hereof and adapted to extend partially across said opening in the cocked position and fully across said opening in the coupled position, an elongated sleeve mounted for axial movement on said rod between said heads, said rod being rotatable relative to said sleeve, resilient means urging said sleeve towards one of said heads, a circumferentially extending slot in said sleeve closed at its upper and lower ends, a handle extending through said slot, means keying said handle to said rod,

a shoulder in said slot intermediate its ends dividing said slot into upper and lower portions, said heads being in the about to couple position when said rod is adjacent said upper end of said slot and is in the cocked position when said rod is retained by said shoulder in said upper portion of said slot, said handle clearing said shoulder and dropping into said lower portion of said slot and adjacent said lower end thereof in response to a force applied axially to the end of said sleeve opposite said one head against action of said resilient means whereby said heads are rotated to the coupled position, and cam rings each having an outer tapered end and an inner cam surface, one ring being fixed to said sleeve and the other being keyed to said rod via said handle, said cam surfaces engaging and urging said tapered ends of said rings firmly into said tapered throats when said handle has dropped and said heads have rotated to the coupled position.

10. The combination of claim 9 and further resilient means normally urging said handle downwardly into said lower portion of said slot and also normally urging said cam surfaces apart.

11. A device for coupling two members each provided with a non-circular opening comprising a rod having spaced non-circular heads adapted to extend through said openings when aligned therewith, an elongated sleeve slidably mounted on said rod between said heads, resilient means urging said sleeve towards one of said heads, a circumferentially extending slot in said sleeve, an elongated member extending through said slot and keyed to said rod, a shoulder in said slot dividing the same into upper and lower portions, said heads being in the aligned about to couple position when said elongated member is in said upper slot portion and is retained by said shoulder, said elongated member clearing said shoulder and dropping into said lower portion of said slot in response to a force applied axially to the end of said sleeve opposite said one head against action of said resilient means whereby said heads are rotated to the coupled position.

12. The combination of claim 11 and further resilient means normally urging said elongated member downwardly towards said lower portion of said slot.

13. The combination of claim 11 wherein said elongated member extends slidably through said rod for movement from an extended operative position to a retracted inoperative position and releasable latch means selectively retaining said elongated member in said extended and retracted positions.

14. The combination of claim 13 wherein said releasable latch means includes a shoe urged by said further resilient means into engagement with said elongated member, a raised portion on said elongated member and a groove in said shoe adapted to receive and retain said raised portion when said elongated member is in its retracted position.

15. The combination of claim 11 and cam rings, one secured to said sleeve and the other to said rod via said elongated member and operative to move the ends of said cam rings against said members to be coupled when said elongated member has dropped into said lower portion of said slot and said heads have rotated to the coupled position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,972,175 2/1961 Abolins 24221 3,052,941 9/1962 Abolins et al. 24-221 FOREIGN PATENTS 646,389 7/1962 Canada.

WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

G. WEIDENFELD, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A DEVICE FOR COUPLING TWO MEMBERS HORIZONTALLY COMPRISING A VERTICAL WALL IN EACH MEMBER HAVING AN ELONGATED OPENING THERETHROUGH, A ROD HAVING SPACED ENLARGED HEADS ADAPTED TO EXTEND THROUGH SAID OPENINGS WHEN ELIGNED THEREWITH IN THE ABOUT TO COUPLE POSITION. EACH HEAD HAVING A LENGTH SHORTER THAN SAID OPENING BUT GREATER THAN THE WIDTH THEREOF AND ADAPTED TO EXTEND PARTIALLY ACROSS SAID OPENING IN THE COCKED POSITION AND FULLY ACROSS SAID OPENING IN THE COUPLED POSITION, AN ELONGATED SLEEVE MOUNTED FOR AXIAL MOVEMENT ON SAID ROD BETWEEN SAID HEADS, SAID ROD BEING ROTATABLE RELATIVE TO SAID SLEEVE MOUNTED FOR AXIAL MOVEMENT ON SAID ROD OF SAID HEADS, CIRCUMFERENTIALLY EXTENDING SLOT IN SAID SLEEVE CLOSED AT ITS UPPER AND LOWER ENDS, A HANDLE TO SAID ING TROUGH SAID SLOT, MEANS KEYING SAID HANDLE TO SAID ROD, AND A SHOULDER IN SAID SLOT INTERMEDIATE ITS ENDS DIVIDING SAID SLOT INTO UPPER AND LOWER PORTIONS, SAID HEADS BEING IN THE ABOUT TO COUPLE POSITION WHEN SAID ROD IS ADJACENT SAID UPPER END OF SAID SLOT AND IS IN COCKED POSITION WHEN SAID ROD IS RETAINED BY SAID SHOULDER IN SAID UPPER PORTION OF SAID SLOT, SAID HANDLE CLEARING SAID SHOULDER AND DROPPING INTO SAID LOWER PORTION OF SAID SLOT AND ADJACENT SAID LOWER END THEREOF IN RESPONSE TOP A FORCE APPLIED AGAINST ACTION OF SAID RESILIENT MEANS WHEREBY SAID HEAD AGAINST ACTION OF SAID RESILIENT MEANS WHEREBY SAID HEADS ARE ROTATED TO THE COUPLED POSITION. 